And The Spotlight Shines On:
by Mosspath from WindClan
Summary: Collection of drabbles about minor characters. No OCs. Yes, I know it's been done before but I really wanted to do and actually made a list of the minor characters! Latest chapter: Mottlepaw
1. Petaldust

Petaldust watched Crookedjaw, her crush since kit-hood, showing off to Willowbreeze. It made her heart ache as she glanced around the camp and saw couples, not to mention their kits. Hailstar and Echomist—Petaldust's own parents—were sharing a water vole together as they watched Beetlenose and Sunfish playing with the kits. _Why is everyone happy except for me_? Petaldust wondered. Every day she was forced to watch Willowbreeze moon over Crookedjaw and hear the purrs of cats and their mates on patrol. _Crookedjaw, I wish you knew how I felt about you…_

Petaldust knew she was dying; Mudfur had said so. Every time a cat entered the medicine clearing, Petaldust looked up in the hopes that it was the new leader Crookedstar, but it would only be Voleclaw or Beetlenose and Petaldust would lay her head back down in disappointment. This evening, Petaldust had a strange feeling and she wondered if she would die soon.

"Mudfur?" She croaked, her throat sore despite all the honey she'd been given.

"I'm here." The tom replied, bringing over some wet moss.

"No, I'm not thirsty." Petaldust explained. "I wanted to ask that you go get Crookedstar." Mudfur looked confused.

"Why?" He asked. Petaldust coughed in reply and Mudfur left although he looked disappointed that he wasn't in the know. A few moments later that felt like a longer time to the sick tortoiseshell, Crookedstar appeared with Mudfur at his side.

"You wanted to see me, Petaldust?"

"Yes…" Petaldust glared at Mudfur and the medicine cat left. "I wanted to tell you about how I feel about you." Crookedstar started.

"Petaldust?"

"Crookedstar I lo—"

"You should really save your energy." Crookedstar interrupted looking flustered. Petaldust shook her head.

"I'm going to join StarClan Crookedstar and I wanted to let you know that I love you." Crookedstar's green eyes widened.

"Petaldust…I-I'm with Willowbreeze now."

"But I now you've always liked me." Crookedstar sighed.

"It's true, Petaldust. I've always had a bit of a crush on you since I was an apprentice." He admitted. "But Willowbreeze would be so hurt…" Petaldust closed her eyes briefly.

"It's okay Crookedstar; I know I will never mean enough to you." The RiverClan leader's eyes flashed with hurt.

"I'm sorry, Petaldust." Without another word, the tom left the den. Petaldust closed her eyes again and saw a shining figure.

"Hailstar…?" She meowed softly. The gray tom nodded.

"It's time to come home with me, Petaldust." Petaldust nodded as she felt her spirit leave her body. _I will wait forever for you, Crookedjaw._


	2. Ratscar

I watched my sister, Snowbird, nuzzle her mate Oakfur before turning away. My own mate, Kinkfur, never showed affection to me and only insisted I play with our kits. She hadn't even asked what of their names! I don't get it; why does everyone love Snowbird but everyone overlooks me? I'm a nice cat if you take the time to get to know me, but now I guess that'd be too much work when Snowbird is so much easier to be friends with.

That's why I started training with Brokenstar and the other cats in the Dark Forest; they said they could teach me to shine just like Snowbird, only brighter. I'd be the most popular cat in the Clan! Maybe I'd even be deputy one day. I still don't understand what all this talk about the Clans I've heard in the Place of No Stars is about, but Brokenstar _promised_ me and he's a ShadowClan cat so he's like my Clanmate; I _have_ to trust him.

Not that anyone has ever understand; why would you?


	3. Aspentail

"Wait up, Aspentail!" The pale gray-streaked she-cat skidded to a halt just before she hit the river.

"What is it, Graydawn?" Graydawn, an elder, hobbled over.

"Remember that you have to check for enemy scents before you escort the elders to Sunningrocks." Aspentail let out a noisy sigh and rolled her eyes.

"Oh come on!" She moaned. "It's perfectly safe!" Graydawn shrugged and began to cross the stepping-stones. _Take your time_! Aspentail thought sarcastically as she waited impatiently for the eldery she-cat to cross. _It's not like _I_ have stuff to do or anything_. Aspentail had been chosen to escort the elder Graydawn across the river to sun herself on Sunningrocks, but the black she-cat was not at all happy about it.

"Aspentail!" The long-tailed she-cat looked up as she heard her name. A ThunderClan warrior, a brown tom, had pinned Graydawn down. The gray elder was struggling frantically, but the warrior was undaunted.

"This is a warning: stay away from Sunningrocks!" He yowled. "It belongs to ThunderClan!"

"No!" Aspentail screeched and launched herself at the stepping-stones. The brown tom had tossed Graydawn's body into the river so Aspentail changed her course. The black-and-gray she-cat swam steadily towards the fast-sinking elder and grabbed the scruff in her jaws. Heaving Graydawn onto the nearby bank on RiverClan's border, Aspentail collapsed. _I'm sorry, Graydawn. I should've protected you. I promise I'll make it up to you and your denmates someday, this I solemnly swear._


	4. Acorntail

Acornpaw glared at Morningpaw. The she-cat was carrying a rabbit and two mice. Acornpaw, on the other paw, was carrying a measly vole that was young to run away even if it wanted to. This wasn't the only time Morningpaw had shown him up either; on the patrol she'd caught ThunderClan prey-stealing _and _chased off a warrior and an apprentice while Acornpaw had difficulty tackling one apprentice.

_Stupid Morningpaw_. _One day I'll show you-and all of WindClan-what I'm capable off. Featherstar will recognise my great potential and talent and make me her deputy. Then you'll see._


	5. Adderkit

**Remember to review to keep me going :) Also you can vote in the poll on my profile for which story you think I should concentrate the most on. ~Mossy**

"You've given birth to a healthy little tom." Barkface announced. Whitetail glanced down at the small bundle happily as Barkface left. She closed her eyes, exhausted from the birth, and went to sleep. Whitetail awoke some time later, well-rested. The nursery was darkened by the night sky. The small white she-cat glanced down to look at the flickering shadows.

_Wait a minute_! It was just _one_ shadow moving; a small, slippery one!

"Snake!" Whitetail shrieked. The adder glided forward and, before Whitetail could react, bit her kit. It let out a wail as the snake hurried away. Cats were already on their way over, but it was too late. Tallstar and Barkface burst into the den. Barkface began to sniff Whitetail and the kit, while Tallstar pounced on the adder. It spat at him, but the black-and-white tom refused to be daunted. He crunched into the adder's throat with a killing bite.

"Whitetail, he's dead." The WindClan she-cat glanced downwards. Nearby, Onewhisker bowed his head. The unnamed kit was given a proper burial. When Tallstar was about to speak the words to send him to StarClan, Whitetail told him the kit's name.

"Adderkit. His name is Adderkit."


	6. Greeneyes

All I ever wanted was to be a loyal warrior to ThunderClan. And one day leader. After clawing my way to the position of deputy, I was finally on my way to getting what I really liked and wanted—the respect of my Clanmates. There was a tom I even liked and I had hoped that he would like me too now that I was deputy.

But then Poppycloud came into the picture. After the visit to the SkyClan camp, I felt humiliated by that enemy warrior; how dare she show me up like that! I was terrified that no one in my Clan would ever accept me again. I was half right—some of them blamed me for the dispute with SkyClan and others told me how I got shown up by a former queen. It was shaming, to say the least and I never did hear if that tom liked me.

Poppycloud, I will always hold this against you. Mark my words, I _will_ get even with you.


	7. Cherrypaw SHA

**This Cherrypaw is only mentioned once in the whole entire series in the short story, _Spottedleaf's Honest Answer _so this left a lot of room left for me to explore. Cherrypaw was probably in ThunderClan since Spottedleaf knew her instantly by name, so that is all the information I had and part of it was assumed. Also, this is before the tenet of the warrior code where it says you don't have to kill to win a battle was thought up. Brownpelt and Sunstripe are randomly thought-up names by me.**

I remember my death clear as day. I was a very young apprentice and we discovered that RiverClan was invading Sunningrocks. I was going into battle-we needed every able body-and there were many fierce warriors then. I saw my Clanmates fighting with fierce determination and saw my mentor Brownpelt tackling a _huge_ RiverClan warrior and wanted to be just like him.

So, I spied a warrior-not a very big one, but remember I was and still am very young-about to jump on Sunstripe. I jumped on the silver warrior's back and tried to use the technique Brownpelt had taught me just before the battle-holding on with all your might onto their back. But the warrior's fur was quite sleek and my tiny claws didn't hold well. The cat ended up shaking me off and clawing Sunstripe's tail.

At first I was put off that I couldn't help my Clanmate in time. Then I remembered I was in a battle and kept trying to jump on the warrior's back and hang on. Everytime, I just slid right off. I eventually got frustrated and bit the tip of the enemy's tail. _Hard._ The warrior let out a loud screech and turned to face me, fury twinkling in his green eyes.

I have to confess that I was _terrified_ there, after all I was barely out of the nursery and now I was trying to kill a warrior twice my size! The warrior let out a loud roar again and pinned me down. I tried to squirm free like I'd seen the other apprentices do in battle training, but unlike then the warrior's claws were out and drawing blood.

"Brownpelt!" I tried calling for my mentor. He was on the other side of the clearing and couldn't see or hear me.

"You're going to _die_ kit! Heh he ha!" The RiverClan tom cackled before going for my throat. His hatred-filled green eyes were the last thing I saw. Everything went black before I woke up as a StarClan cat in a field of daisies. At first I was confused, but then I met a cat named Lightningtail who guided me and taught me everything I know now and I owe her my life.

**Btw, Lightningtail is mentioned as the first ThunderClan deputy in _Secrets of the Clans_ but nothing else is know about him/her so I decided for Lightningtail to be a girl.**


	8. Cinderfur

**Cinderfur.**

I miss being the deputy of ShadowClan. Yes, StarClan is great and all and it is wonderful not to have my old bones creaking and reunite with all my old friends, yet I can't help missing some things; going to Gatherings, and organizing patrols. It was always my dream when I was a young cat. Nightstar shared it and he was my best friend, so I felt guilty and never shared it. One day it just came out, but he was fine with it and appointed me deputy when he became leader.

Then the sickness struck. I had never felt so ill in all of my life. Runningnose's herbs did nothing to help us and the knowledge that we were going to die slowly and painfully was almost too much to bear. The day I joined StarClan was just before Nightstar's. I learned the ways of StarClan and was there to welcome Nightstar.

We still talk today about organizing ShadowClan and going to Gatherings like the good old days. I know that those days will never return, but at least I can be in peace knowing that the Dark Forest has been eliminated and ShadowClan rests in my friend Blackstar's capable paws.

**I like to believe Nightstar and Blackstar were once kinda-friends even though Blackstar was one of Brokenstar's followers. Maybe they made up at Blackstar's leadership ceremony. Hm.**


	9. Mosspelt

**This takes place around Dawn since in Dawn Mosspelt is listed as a queen and Willowshine is her only kit. I figured Hawkfrost would fit even though she chose to remain in the nursery like Ferncloud.**

Mosspelt sighed as she stared at her mate, Hawkfrost. Unknown to RiverClan, he was the father of her only daughter, Willowkit. Hawkfrost had told her never to admit this to anyone. Hawkfrost had never been clear with her on his feelings towards Mosspelt, but he had fathered her kits, so she liked to believe that he liked her, a least a little bit.

Moons later, Mosspelt would realize that Hawkfrost was evil and part of the Dark Forest uprising. She would never stop loving him and always kept it a secret.


	10. Mottlepaw

"Hey Mottlepaw!" Morningmist called, waving her tail in greeting. The blue-eyed apprentice brightened at the sigh of the friendly queen.

"Morningmist!" He said, bounding over to the nursery. Morningmist was basking in the sunlight while Dewkit and Cloudkit tussled in a heap of flying paws and tails.

"Dewkit and Cloudkit have been asking after you." The SkyClan queen told him. Mottlepaw beamed. "Do you mind watching them while I go for a walk to stretch my legs?" Mottlepaw shook his head. "Great." The she-cat purred. "I won't be long; I'll just go down near the ThunderClan border and hunt a sparrow or two." The blue-gray she-cat got to her paws, arched her back in a long stretch and trotted out of the camp barrier. Mottlepaw sat down next to the two kits.

"I heard you wanted to see me." Dewkit and Cloudkit broke apart and hurried over.

"We wanted to ask you what happened with the ThunderClan cats again." Mottlepaw's shoulders drooped. One way or another, the only reason cats wanted to talk was to find out what happened when the ThunderClan leader and his green-eyed deputy had visited about a moon ago. Now, there was a new addition to the warrior code, and it made Mottlepaw rather popular but no cat would listen to anything other than the story.

_Don't they get tired of it_? Mottlepaw wondered. _Why am I living in my mother's shadow_? _Am I just an echo of what happened_? _Oh StarClan, please don't tell me this is the only reason I'll be remembered._

"Story! Story!" Cloudkit demanded. Mottlepaw rolled his bright blue eyes.

"Now, I was out hunting and-"

"Wasn't Poppycloud there?" Cloudkit interrupted. Mottlepaw twitched his ears.

"Yes. Of course she was."


End file.
